


You Don't Know You're A Legend

by MsDamia, tiziano



Series: Music for the Soul(mate) [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies), X-Men (Movies)
Genre: AIM ruins girl time, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, BAMF Darcy Lewis, F/M, Gen, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, science(!)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-12
Updated: 2015-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-24 13:00:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2582294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsDamia/pseuds/MsDamia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiziano/pseuds/tiziano
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The life and times of Darcy and Logan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Swing Life Away by Rise Against, part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Darcy and Logan met.

Everything would be infinitely easier if everyone would just stop asking her if she were alright. She wasn’t and she wasn’t going to be any time soon. Telling people she wasn’t okay made them hover, though, and when she lied and said she was fine all they wanted to do was stare at her with big sad puppy eyes because they were worried she didn’t feel like she could be honest with them. It made her want to punch something. Maybe that would be a reaction they could get behind. 

Maybe she should punch her soulmate. _That_ might make her feel better. 

Meeting your soulmate should be a beautiful, glorious thing. At least that was what she’d learned from growing up with Disney movies and romcoms. Maybe she should have paid more attention to the ones where it wasn’t love at first sight and the soulmates had to figure out that maybe the universe really did know what it was doing. Not that she trusted the universe or fate or whatever right now. 

Darcy’s soulmate had raked his eyes over her and asked if she wanted to get a drink. She’d heard that line a lot in her 24 years, so it no longer fazed her. When she replied with a resounding “I guess that depends on whether or not you’re using drinks as a euphemism for stranger-danger sex,” and his eyes had gone wide with horror and surprise, she had the beginnings of a terrible realization. 

“I don’t have time for this shit. No, not happening.” He had turned and walked away, that heavenly slice of man meat who had almost been hers, and she’d flipped off his back and turned on her pretty heel (heels paid for by the illustrious Tony Stark because Pepper insisted Darcy get a bonus every time he leered at her or made suggestive commentary) and left the extravaganza which was meant to be celebrating her best friend’s scientific achievements. The party was extra awesome because of the number of people there who, only a short 18 months before, had thought she was a complete crackpot. It was sad how many people didn’t recognize genius when it was standing in front of them in improperly buttoned flannel. 

Her meeting with her soul mate might not have been quite so bad if she hadn’t been standing with Tony, Pepper, Bruce, and Clint at the moment when it had happened. Luckily for the jackass himself, Jane hadn’t been there. For such a petite little thing she had a hell of a left hook and no compunction about using it whenever she deemed it necessary. Defending Darcy, whether Darcy herself thought it necessary or not, was one of those things which would always raise the other woman’s ire. 

“Tequila Tuesdays, your presence is mandatory.” Darcy declared, throwing herself into a chair beside Jane, who was standing instead of sitting. She did that a lot, especially now that they had the nifty ergonomic desks which raised to just the right height for the tiny mad scientist. One little button and she could hop from foot to foot as much as her little heart desired. 

“Done. When do we start?” Jane asked, still scrolling through pictures which had been taken via some satellite or other. Darcy stopped paying attention to what the names were and simply color coded them based on what region of the solar system they were exploring and who technically owned them. It was easier that way. There were way too many little Midgardian toys out and about in nearby space to remember the names of every single one of them. 

“As soon as work is done. I need a margarita as large as my head and I have since Saturday.” Darcy admitted, wrinkling her nose in irritation. She’d sort of segregated herself from the rest of the Avengers and team for the last few days and she’d never really been one for drinking alone when she was depressed (but wouldn’t that be an awesome walk down her childhood?) so she’d just vegged out in her room and had Jarvis keep up a steady stream of Looney Tunes while she contemplated taking a cheese grater to her soul mark. 

“I’ll put out an all hands. Maybe we can get Tony to spring for a bartender so we don’t have to leave the tower.” Jane suggested, opening her outlook to create a meeting (it was the only way to get Pepper’s attention if you needed her within 24 hours.) 

“Nah, let’s go out. Tony can still foot the bill, though.” Darcy told her friend, grinning recklessly as she kicked out her foot to set the chair into a lazy spin. She was behaving a little spoiled for Darcy, usually she was straightforward and had no patience with wallowing or whining, even from herself. The last three days she’d been doing a bit of both, irritating herself and then drowning that irritation in orange sherbert. 

“I know just the place.” Jane smiled at her friend, but Darcy was still spinning and not paying enough attention. If she had been she might have noticed the hard bent to the smaller woman’s smile. 

“Are you serious?” Darcy demanded, staring at the entrance to the bar instead of looking at her erstwhile boss. 

“I’m hoping he shows up, I didn’t get to see him last time.” Jane shrugged, unconcerned by the possibility of Darcy bolting for the night. Natasha was standing beside her, and no one wanted the redhead attempting to herd them. No one. Not even Thor. Not even Thor when drunk. 

“Evisceration is illegal.” Darcy reminded her, tugging on an errant curl and frowning as she worked up the courage to enter the bar that was still rather upscale, but now lacking all the pash accoutrements of an SI party. 

“Only if you’re caught.” Natasha replied, a wicked smile beginning to curve the other woman’s lips. Darcy shook her head, deciding her friends were all mad and she _definitely_ needed that drink now. She pushed past Jane and into the bar, planting herself directly in front of the bartender. 

“I need the biggest possible Margarita you can make me and I need you to double the tequila.” She informed him as the rest of her group slowly joined her at the counter. Wide eyed the man took in the site before him and then got ahold of himself, smiling genially and losing the awed tone of his gaze (no one could blame him for glancing over at Natasha a couple more times, though, he was male. Even gay men loved Natasha, they just didn’t want to bone her. She was Natasha, it just worked like that). 

“So did we pick this place because there is a chance he might be back, or because there isn’t a very large chance that he’ll be back since he apparently didn’t know a great thing when he saw her?” Pepper asked twenty minutes later as she watched Darcy start in on her third margarita. She didn’t want to think about the shots the girl had ordered in the mean time. They were going to be peeling the young woman off of the floor when they were ready to leave and would then need to pour her into bed. Likely with a bucket near at hand just in case. 

“Yes.” Jane said decisively, not actually answering the willowy woman’s question. 

“I picked nothing. That includes, for the record, my soulmate.” Darcy announced, half pouting and half growling as she picked at the tapas Pepper had deemed necessary to soak up some of the booze. 

“I actually understand that thought process quite well,” the woman commented, her tone as dry as the desert her soulmate had once been trapped in. 

“At least Tony isn’t a complete douchecanoe, he’s just got moments. A lot of moments, but still.” Darcy liked Tony. He never pretended to be someone or something he wasn’t, he never apologized if he didn’t feel sorry, and idiocy mixed with bigotry pissed him off in a way which created the most beautiful political explosions. 

“And he adores you.” Jane reminded the tall woman, tipping her beer toward her in salute.

“Yes he does. Unlike my own soul mate, who apparently despised me on site.” Darcy sniffed in offensive, the scene replaying itself in her head for the umpteenth time. She turned her gaze to the curvier redhead, her gaze contemplative. Natasha offered a bland smile, giving away nothing. 

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed how none of you have asked his name, what he does, or why he was at the party.” She mentioned after a few moments of silence. She had been around the group for long enough that she knew full well JARVIS had been on hand for the entirety of the party and that meant every whisper was on record for Tony’s perusal. After a moment like she’d had, well, Tony would have had all of the man’s information as soon as he’d taken a moment to go through it and Natasha would have appropriated said information to do her own checks. 

“It’s not a very nice background.” Natasha offered after a few long moments of silence where Pepper and Jane stared at each other as though daring the other one to take point. 

“Neither is mine.” Darcy shrugged off the concern. 

“He is older than you are.” Natasha continued. 

“I figured as much.” Darcy was unimpressed, sucking down her margarita through a straw and just about halfway through. She was going to be wasted. 

“ He’s older than Steve.” The assassin set her elbows on the table and steepled her fingers, eyes trained on the youngest of their group. 

“He’s hot for an octogenarian.” Darcy paused and thought back to the way his pants had fit as he was walking away. It had been a nice view. She’d have enjoyed it more if she hadn’t felt quite so humiliated and defeated. 

“He is also a mutant.” Natasha finished, eyeing Darcy carefully. The brunette paused, staring blankly at Natasha. 

“Do you think I’m some kind of racist?” She demanded after a moment, having consumed enough alcohol to share her ire with the entire establishment. 

“I think you need to know why he wasn’t willing to talk to you in the middle of a party and why he may have left without his friend and colleague, the reason he was there in the first place. He is used to bigots, he isn’t used to regular people who don’t give two shits about the differences between himself and the rest of the populace. You aren’t the norm, Darcy Lewis, and perhaps he was upset because he wasn’t expecting that.” Natasha explained in a low, husky voice, watching Darcy curiously. 

“Fuck that shit, why the hell would he and I be a match if I was going to hate some part of him. Where the hell is he?” Darcy demanded, finishing her margarita and then the shot Natasha gently pushed toward her. If she’d been sober she might have noticed the hint of a smug smirk on the other woman’s lips. 

“He’s gone back home. He teaches at a school upstate.” Jane replied. 

“Well, what are we waiting for, let’s go.” The younger woman turned and stomped out of the room, her goal now clear in mind. 

“This might not have been the best plan.” Pepper mentioned, staring across at Jane. 

“The plan is fine.” Natasha disagreed with a smile, standing up and making her way out to follow the other woman. 

“So, bored Natasha. Fabulous or frightening?” Jane asked as she waved her hand for another round of beer for herself. 

“I’m not entirely sure.” Pepper blinked and then sighed softly, writing it off as Superhero shenanigans and best ignored so she wouldn’t have to file the paperwork when everything went to hell.


	2. Swing Life Away by Rise Against, part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha's version of playing match maker.

Darcy woke up in the passenger seat of Natasha’s Corvette, her head pounding and her mouth feeling as dry as the New Mexican desert. A glance out the window showed trees and grass on either side of them, and a large iron gate they were quickly approaching. She turned bleary blue eyes to the calm woman sitting in the drivers seat. 

“This is not New York.” Darcy accused, not actually sure what was going on. No food and all booze apparently made Darcy a dull girl. 

“Yes it is.” There was a decidedly amused hint to Natasha’s voice which Darcy narrowed her eyes at. 

“This is not New York _City_ ,” She stressed the word heavily, half hissing due to the sticky quality her tongue had decided to adopt in the last however long she’d been asleep. 

“No, this is not.” Natasha agreed easily, stopping at the gate and cocking an eyebrow at the security camera which was trained on her car. 

“Where are we, exactly?” Darcy demanded, already thoroughly irritated at having to pull every tiny particle of information from Natasha. Sometimes the woman offered information, but never without reason. Usually, she made you ask incredibly specific questions to get the information you wanted, because knowledge should always be earned. At least that was what she’d told Darcy after they had been living together (sort of) for a few weeks. 

“Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.” Natasha flicked a finger at a cup of coffee and a small packet of aspirin sitting in the center console near Darcy. The brunette glowered at the redhead for a moment before pocketing the aspirin and cuddling the coffee close to her chest so she could inhale the fumes for a moment before she took her first sip. It was glorious. 

“What are we doing at this school?” Darcy asked, eyeballing the gate suspiciously as it slowly swung open. 

“We are seeing a man about a problem.” Natasha told her, an innocent look sweeping across her face. Darcy’s gaze shot to the assassin, dread starting to curl in her stomach. Natasha had planned something, and Darcy was about 98 percent certain she didn’t want any part of it. No, Natasha knew her well. She was now 99 percent certain she wanted nothing to do with whatever plan the spy had come up with. It was why Natasha had waited until she was drunk to somehow wrangle her into the vehicle. 

They slowly drove down the winding drive to what looked like a mansion, though apparently it was a school. It was certainly big enough to be a school. Children paused their games to watch them drive with varying levels of curiosity and suspicion. That level of distrust in children made the young woman’s stomach knot unpleasantly. She, too, had been mistrustful of adults when she was that young. It didn’t imply a happy childhood. 

The redhead parked her sleek car beside a dirty jeep and climbed out, gazing down at the frozen Darcy with a look of vague contempt. Obviously she was not in the mood to put up with Darcy’s wariness. Since the brunette was fairly certain the other woman didn’t want to kill her (there was always at least a five percent chance it was possible, she was mouthy, after all) she decided to sigh heavily and ensure her friend knew just how put upon she was feeling at the moment. She opened the door and heaved herself out of the car, half limping as she tried to wake her foot back up. 

“Good morning,” a petite woman with dusky skin and snow white hair and smiled gently from an open door and Darcy blinked at her. Most people looked ridiculous with white hair, this woman looked ridiculously gorgeous. Darcy, herself, had stopped attempting to dye her hair at about fourteen when she realized that blonde locks washed her out, red hair made her look jaundiced, and crayola colors were far too much effort to keep maintained. 

“Is it?” Darcy asked waspishly, turning a baleful glare toward Natasha, who ignored her. 

“Good morning, Ms. Munroe. We are a bit early, sorry.” The Avenger didn’t shake the other woman’s hand, instead they swapped pleasant nods like professional acquaintances. The younger woman was reasonably sure the woman with the white hair wasn’t an assassin or a spy because of her striking looks, but then again, Natasha didn’t exactly have a face you forgot. 

“If you would follow me.” Ms. Munroe gave an amused smile and turned on her heel, the skirt of her white maxi dress fluttering around her ankles, and walked into the building. Darcy followed, not knowing what else to do. They walked through wide halls, children in groups no larger than ten clustered in various rooms with an adult teaching them a variety of topics. She craned her neck, noting the mathematical equations on a whiteboard while a man smiling engagingly at a group of teens. 

Everything was so clean and bright in the building, it made Darcy want to relax, though she didn’t. She wasn’t as bad as most of the Avengers regarding personal safety and the rampant need to attack those who surprised them, but she did take a little while to feel comfortable in a new place. That might even be the reason why Natasha had slowed down so she was a mere step away. Darcy took a deep, relaxing breath and forced a smile onto her face. Natasha wouldn’t have brought her here if it weren’t safe, no matter what her overactive imagination might occasionally declare. 

The woman left them in a sitting room full of overstuffed arm chairs and an Ironman red settee which would have delighted Tony. Darcy pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of it, texting Tony and demanding she have one for her room. She got a prompt “on it” in response and settled back in her seat, crossing her legs at the knees and bouncing her foot up and down impatiently. She glanced to the left and spotted a tall figure chatting with a couple of people who were likely in their late teens. Eyes blazing she jerked her head to Natasha.

“Are you freaking kidding me right now!?” She demanded, her voice going a bit shrill. Natasha gave her an unimpressed look before turning her gaze to her nails, inspecting her neat manicure for possible imperfections. Darcy’s eyes darted back to the tall man, her graceless soulmate, and found him coming her way with a rather displeased look on his face. She shot to her feet, deciding she was in the mood for a fight considering how she’d been feeling for the last few days. Natasha shifted in her seat, lounging back a bit further as she watched the incoming man with a smug grin on her lips, his cohorts coming in behind him with wide eyes. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” He demanded, shoulders tense as she frowned down at her. She hadn’t really realized just how tall he was. At least a foot above herself, maybe a few inches taller. She didn’t even reach his shoulders. He was apparently as ready for a fight as she was. Maybe if she hadn’t been feeling quite so combative she could have told him she wasn’t sure, because she’d been kidnapped by a crazy former KGB operative after far too much tequila the night before. 

“None of your damned business, that’s what.” She retorted, standing her ground and attempting to straighten her spine to get a bit more height. She looked like a mutinous pixie, though a pleasantly curvy one, with her hair done up in a topknot from the night before (because if you were going to drink that much alcohol, it was best to be prepared and no one liked holding up a friends hair if they didn’t have to) and a pale blue bell-sleeved sweater dress which barely hit mid thigh and leggings printed with pictures of nebulae and her little blue ballet flats. Her lipstick had worn off, but her eyeliner was still on, but with her hands on her hips and her feet shoulder width apart, blue eyes mutinous, she looked a bit like a pissed off Tinkerbell. 

“We have a meeting scheduled with Professor Xavier.” Natasha purred, watching Darcy’s soulmate with heavy lidded eyes. It was a dangerous look, if you knew Nat, if you understood just how dangerous she was. From the slightly irritated look on her soulmate’s face, Darcy was pretty sure he knew, but didn’t care. That … was worrisome. 

_”Let them in, Logan.”_ A voice requested fondly … in her brain. Her eyes went wide and she whipped her head around, looking at the people around her for confirmation she wasn’t the only one who had heard it. The smirk which graced Natasha’s lips and the grimace on her soulmate said it all. 

“Dude should really ask permission before he talks in your brain. Warn a girl, jeeze.” Darcy grumbled, sucking down more of her coffee as she continued to glower at the big man before her. She’d climb him like a tree if she weren’t pissed off and wanting to claw his eyeballs out. It was the way that t-shirt of his hugged his arms and when he twisted to glance at the girl with the white streaks in her hair (what was with the women in this place having white hair so young?) it pulled across some rather impressive abdominal muscles. And she lived with Captain America and Thor. 

“This way.” The man, Logan, apparently, told them, grimacing again as he jerked his head toward a closed door. Darcy stalked forward, carefully sidestepping him in an obvious manner before opening the door in question. She didn’t bother to check if Natasha was behind her, she didn’t care at this point. It was hoes before bros, tits before dicks! She had broken the rules by tricking Darcy into this. No, not tricking, kidnapping and forcing her to deal with he who should have his feet melted off by lava for treating her like crap in the middle of a party where she was dressed damn good! Good enough that _he_ had initiated contact with her because she was that smokin’ hot! 

She slammed the door shut behind her as she walked through, if Nat were directly behind her she’d catch it. If _he_ were behind her, well, the dull thunk that came after the slamming of the door implied he hadn’t caught it and the door might be suffering because of his miss. 

“Good morning, Ms. Lewis. I understand it was a rather trying night for you.” The man sitting before her with the calm voice and softly amused grin was bald as a billiard and possessed of very kind blue eyes. 

“Made more trying by this little voice in my head trying to tell me I may have done something very dumb while drunk, and not the usual fun kind of way.” She informed him, watching him from the corner of her eye as she sat in one of the two seats before his desk, demurely crossing her legs at the knees. She wasn’t dressed for a business meeting, but then she didn’t usually go to business meetings with Natasha so who the hell knew what was really going on anyhow. 

“I received your permission before we began this trek.” Natasha offered, sitting down in the second chair and mirroring Darcy’s pose. 

“Logan, please shut the door.” The man before them, Charles Xavier from the placard on his desk, asked the other man. Darcy didn’t turn to look at him, so she didn’t see dent in the solid wood door which must have been about face height for the man. If she had, she may have felt a little better. Especially since the two teens had been approached by their friends and the group had witnessed him collide with the wood and were now grinning at her approach to the man’s attitude. 

“Now, I believe you are here regarding the Avengers Initiative.” Charles, because how could someone with a smooth baritone voice like his be a mere mister anything, 

“Yes, Professor,” Natasha inclined her head slightly, a show of respect which was rare from the woman. Professor made sense, though, he seemed wise. Like a white Mr. Miyagi. “We were hoping we could discuss the idea of some of your X-Men being backup for the Avengers. Now that we are the face protection for all of Earth, apparently, we have become a bit of a target.” 

“You think?” Logan snorted, leaning against the wall to the left of Professor Xavier, his arms crossed over his chest. Darcy glowered at him, sucking down more of her coffee. 

“I can certainly speak with my team and find out what kind of help we may be able to offer, but our first priority is to the children.” Charles mentioned after pondering for a moment. Darcy liked the word pondering. Not enough people used it. 

“As it should be.” Natasha inclined her head once more and Darcy eyed her for a moment. She treated the professor like an equal, it made Darcy want to treat him with respect. She would have anyway, but the urge was stronger with Natasha there leading by example. 

“What kind of school is this, anyway?” Darcy asked, finishing the last of her coffee and feeling like she was finally starting to wake up. 

“It is a school, and a home, for mutants.” Charles’ eyes smiled when he smiled, reminding Darcy a bit of Thor for some reason. The two weren’t at all alike, from what she could tell, and yet she couldn’t shake the sense of resemblance. 

“Interesting.” Darcy’s brain was wheeling about, putting together half formed thoughts regarding her soulmate, this school, and a drunken night in which she mistakenly agreed to let Natasha do whatever she apparently felt like doing. 

“Interesting. Great.” Logan’s voice was half snarl and Darcy turned her head, cocking an unimpressed eyebrow at the neanderthal. 

“Logan, why don’t you give them a tour of the school.” Charles suggested, his tone light. The way Logan’s jaw clenched she had an idea that he might be talking to the man. Kind, blue eyes turned toward her next. _”Give him a chance, this is very hard for Logan.”_ It was hard for her too, and she did her best to shoot the thought at the older gentleman before standing up and turning on her toe toward the door. 

“Allow me.” Logan was already there, holding the door open with a mocking grin on his face. She lifted her chin, striding through the door without a second look back. 

“I think I’ll stay here, I have some questions for the professor.” Natasha called, causing Darcy to spin and gape at the woman who was _supposed_ to be on her side. 

“Please don’t break any doors.” Charles called, waving one hand as Logan slowly shut the door and then eyeballed her like she was a snake about to strike. She might strike him. She had it in her. 

“I don’t usually do the tours.” He offered after a long moment of silence. She frowned up at him. Her neck craned back because she was standing too close and he was too tall. 

“That surprises me, you’re obviously such a people person.” She informed him after a beat, her voice flat and one eyebrow arched. 

“That’s me, a regular Mr. Rogers.” His voice was equally flat and he started walking down the hall without her, his long legs moving quickly.

“Dude, slowdown, not all of us have legs as long as bigfoot.” Darcy called, not bothering to go faster than a lazy walk. He glanced over his shoulder, irritation clear on his face. “Also, if you have coffee, this tour will go a lot better.” She advised as she finally caught up with him. He stared down at her, slightly amused despite himself. 

“This way.” He apparently liked to use his head to give directions, because he jerked it toward the west and loped off again, this time more slowly. She craned her head left and right, looking through windows at small classrooms, some occupied, some not. Logan didn’t offer her an explanation and Darcy didn’t ask for one. 

“Kitchen.” He announced as they went through a set of swinging doors. Small clumps of teens were crowded around little circle tables and the island in the center of a chrome and white tile kitchen. She walked straight to the coffee machine and, upon noting it was empty, poked at the side of the carafe and sent a wide eyed beseeching look to the tall man who had led her here. 

“I got it.” A blond kid, he’d been walking with Logan earlier, stood up and smiled at her, walking to the fridge and digging out coffee beans. 

“That work on most people?” Logan asked her after a moment. She shrugged. 

“Not my house, not my place to dig around cupboards.” She told him, leaning her hip against the counter. Well, the counter was at the bottom of her ribs, it was at Logans hips. Man, what she wouldn’t give for longer legs. She’d be able to reach the top shelves in the kitchen without needing a chair. It would be utterly magical. 

“I’m Darcy Lewis.” She finally told him, staring at him with pursed lips as she reminded herself she was fully capable of being an adult and therefore at least partially mature. 

“Logan.” He offered after a little longer. She’d give it to him that he didn’t stare at her chest or hips, the dress fit her like a soft little glove, and some of the teenagers had already sent it a few gratifying glances. Logan, apparently, was immune. He hadn’t been a few days ago, but apparently being his soul mate meant you were no longer attractive. 

“It’s done.” The silent staring they were doing was interrupted by the lovely boy who had made her lifesblood for her. 

“Excellent.” She grinned and held out a hand. “I’m Darcy and I adore you at the moment.” 

“I’m Bobby, and I appreciate your adoration.” He inclined his head as the girl from earlier come up and wrapped an arm around his waist, claiming her territory with a friendly smile. 

“Are you a friend of Logan’s?” She asked, her voice a soft, sweet drawl. Darcy saw it instantly for what it was, a southern verbal ass whooping in the making. 

“Technically I’m his soulmate, but he’s being a dick at the moment so we haven’t gotten past the shock and awe portion of the program.” She informed the girl with a razor sharp smile. The wide eyed chastising look the girl suddenly sent to the taller man said a lot about what he may have mentioned. Especially when he glared at Darcy rather than looking back at her. 

“I’m Rogue, it’s a pleasure, Darcy.” The girl held out a hand, this time her smile more friendly than sweet. 

“Thank you, I appreciate it. Big, tall, and bratly is supposed to be giving me a tour, but it’s not going so well at the moment. I assume it’s because he’s usually kept locked in a cage due to manners.” Darcy offered, pouring black coffee into the paper cup she’d been using. Bobby looked to be tamping down on a smile as he glanced over at Logan before focusing on Darcy once more. 

“We usually keep him back so he can handle PR.” He told her, a wicked grin in his eyes that made her want to adopt him. Referencing Firefly was like singing the song of her people. 

“Watch it, Icicle.” Logan drawled, his voice more dry than warning.

“Icicle?” Darcy asked, sipping her coffee with wide eyes as she turned her gaze from the younger man to the … well the jackass who was apparently her soulmate. She really wasn’t going to be able to stop fixating on that for a while. 

“Technically Ice Man, but Logan gets confused in his old age.” Bobby shrugged, smiling easily as he tucked his hands into his pockets. 

“That or he looks at you and thinks ‘holy shit, this kid’s young.’” Darcy grinned back at Bobby, figuring the name was likely a code name which implied he was older than he looked (gods, she hoped so if he was an X-Man) and likely had fought side by side with her … holy shit her soulmate was a superhero. She turned to eye him warily, yet again. Maybe he was more of an antihero. 

“Not much younger than you, though,” Rogue mentioned, watching her with a curious smile. 

“That would make McBroody a cradle robber.” Darcy replied, deciding she would neither confirm nor deny her age. Maybe she was just a super hot forty year old. These kids wouldn’t know. 

“My name is Logan.” The man in question growled, obviously irritated with _her_. She was quite used to that kind of reaction. 

“Is it your first name or your last name?” Darcy asked, twirling to arch her eyebrows demandingly at the man. 

“It’s my only name, like Madonna.” Logan shot back, a smirk on his lips. 

“Madonna is a first name, her full name is Madonna Louise Ciccone. Since you have either forgotten your full name or decided that using it was beneath you, I’ve decided to practice using monikers I think fit your image.” She lifted her coffee again, taking a drink as she stared at him, daring him to tell her what to do. She was still spoiling for a fight. 

“How did you know that?” Bobby asked, laughing at her attitude. The image of the younger woman facing off with the Wolverine was one which was going to keep him occupied for many, many moons. Of course, if they were soulmates the chances were good that they would continually be drawn to one another so he might get more shows like this. The woman, Darcy, was a curvy little thing, but had a tiny waist, no real muscle definition he could discern, and despite her obvious curves, was still significantly smaller than Logan. It was like a Pomeranian facing off with a Labrador. It would never not be funny. 

“Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture. I kicked Tony’s ass. Bad. Twice. He won’t play with me now.” Darcy’s grin was smug, as it should be, it wasn’t every day you got the best of Tony Stark when he declared himself the best at something. As much of an ass as he tended to be, he really was insanely intelligent and he really did give props to others when they were smarter than him about something. He valued intelligence like other people valued money. 

“Sounds like Stark.” Logan commented. Darcy turned a ferocious frown on the man. 

“So you’re intimately acquainted with him, then?” She demanded, obviously offended by his offhand remark. 

“Heard enough.” Logan drawled, apparently spoiling for a fight as much as Darcy since he was egging her on. Good, that mean she wouldn’t have to feel bad. 

“Maybe I should call you Jon Snow, you obviously know nothing.” Darcy told him, a sneer on her face. It was one thing for her to talk about the team, especially Tony. She and Tony were bros and you know what, he didn’t have near enough people at his back to remind people what a badass he was beneath the booze and the parties and the women. 

“Look, sweet heart, I call it like I see it.” His sneer was equal to hers and all she could do was chuck her coffee cup, still half full of coffee, directly at his face. 

“You do not get to pass judgement on people who were willing to give their lives for this ridiculous world without a second thought.” She didn’t scream, she didn’t have to, her voice shook with her rage and Logan might have ducked the cup, but the hot contents splashed completely down his torso. She’d have felt bad, except she wasn’t as dumb as people apparently thought she was. While taking care of the labs for the Scientists Three she also dealt with Avengers social media (personal and team related) and as such she needed to keep up with other various heroics and good doings around the world. She knew exactly who Wolverine was. Well, maybe not exactly, but her brain had put together the puzzle pieces about three quarters of the way down her first cup of coffee. Mutants, Logan, that body, the X-men, she kind of wished he were wearing leather because the view might have helped distract from her anger. Wolverine. He healed faster than Steve, he’d be fine. 

“You are the most judgemental man I have ever met, and I have met some real peaches.” Darcy informed him, stepping forward lightly, her eyes intense. 

“You think _I’m_ judgemental?” He started, pushing off the wall to tower over her intimidatingly. Someone should have mentioned that she wasn’t easily intimidated. 

“Yeah, I do.” She said, pushing her hands against his chest in an effort to shove him back. It didn’t work so she just craned her head back to glare up at him, pointing a finger at his nose. “I haven’t done one thing to you that you didn’t deserve. You try to pick me up at a bar like every other lascivious cro magnon and then, upon realizing I’m your soulmate, you tell me you don’t have time for “this shit”, which, for the record, I’m glad was your _second_ set of words to me because your first ones were bad enough during my formative years. However they are seared to my brain, because it’s not every day some dude is burning hot for my bangin’ bod and then decides I’m Typhoid Mary.”

“Look,” Logan started, his eyes starting to darken with something other than anger. She flicked him in the nose before going back to pointing.

“I’m not done!” Now she shouted, taking half a step forward. They were almost touching, they were so close. She was not about to be cowed by this man, he needed to get that they were equal right quick. “If anyone gets to be the offended party here, it’s me. Not only did I _not_ do anything to you that night, I didn’t do anything to you today until you decided to come up all snarly and verbally accost me once I was here. If I’d known you were here, I wouldn’t have come. Do you know why? Because you pretty much killed my ego for the month, and now you’re acting like I’m some dumb broad who will disappear if you ignore her and you are insulting my friends and colleagues. You can go fuck yourself with a hedgehog.” She turned on her heel and stomped away. She was done with him and the tour and the whole fucking school at the moment. She was going to go sit in Natasha’s car until it was time to leave.


	3. Swing Life Away by Rise Against, Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy redefines the word "talent".

Natasha’s car was locked and the redhead was nowhere to be found, including Professor Xavier’s office, the bitch. 

Darcy ended up outside wandering the grounds, soaking in the sun and admiring the green, green grass that she hadn’t seen in quite some time. She needed to make it out to Central Park more often, greenery was good for a person. Maybe she could take the scientists for walks. Tony might even enjoy a leash, if only for publicity stunts’ sake. Steve would go with her, when he was in the city, he was always restless and wanting to move. It was probably from sleeping for the bigger part of a century. 

“Who are you?” A suspicious voice was coming from the other side of a hedge and Darcy turned her head to look at a pair of big brown eyes that were just as suspicious as the voice. 

“Darcy. Who are you?” She cocked her head a bit and eyed the child with mild curiosity. 

“Kyle.” The bushes untangled themselves as he stepped forward, pulling themselves out of his way and then settling back into place once he was through. 

“That is a bankable talent right there, kid. You could own the landscaping industry.” She told him, grinning down at him. He had to be all of about twelve and wasn’t that much shorter than she was, but he had a mop of dirty blond hair and a tan line that suggested he spent a lot of time outdoors. 

“I’d rather be an astronaut.” He told her, watching her, eyes still distrustful. 

“Awesome, be an astronaut. Remember that science and math are important, and use your talents to your advantage by studying up on hydroponics and the ability to create self sustaining plant life in space stations. You’ll be a shoe in. NASA will salivate to have you.” She informed him, continuing with her walk. He walked with her, the distrust replaced by curiosity now.

“Hydroponics?” He asked, obviously needing more. 

“Growing plants without dirt. Dirt is heavy, if you are going to grow plants and veggies in space, you don’t want that much extra weight, you need to figure out something else. You keep studying and see what else you can do with that talent of yours, and I’ll bet you change our entire thought process on it.” She told him, a smile on her face. The sun was making her feel better, and the kid kind of was too. 

“It’s a mutation.” He corrected after a moment. 

“It’s a talent.” She said firmly, glancing down at him with a raised eyebrow. “Most people just aren’t smart enough to realize it.” 

“I am a mutant, that’s why I’m here.” He told her firmly. She stopped again, turning to face him fully, arms crossed over her stomach as she considered him. 

“I don’t like the word mutant, would you like to know why?” She asked after a long moment. She’d thought about this before, not because she was friends with a mutant or it had somehow shaped her destiny (though she supposed now that it kind of had) but because it had been the source of many debates during her school years. High School as well as college. 

“Why?” He asked slowly, crossing his own arms and cocking a hip as though he knew she was going to pull some adult logic trip on him in an attempt to make him feel good about himself. He was pretty sure that adults forgot that they were smart as kids once they hit their mid-twenties.

“I don’t like the word mutant because a mutation means someone is different than everyone else. It is an incorrect usage of the word. Everyone is different from one another. _Everyone_ , whether it’s obvious or not, is different and at some point in their life feels like a freak, or unwanted, or too smart, or too dumb, or something else entirely. The term mutation is a catchall that people are using for anyone that is different. Only we are all different. So technically, we are all mutants, whether we have crazy awesome talents to make plants do nifty tricks, or crazy awesome talents making scientists stay healthy on a diet of pop tarts, coffee, and Flintstones chewable vitamins.” She grinned down at him as his face turned into one of wary incredulousness.

“You’re weird.” He informed her after a long moment of silence. 

“Thank you.” She smiled more brightly and turned to continue walking, the boy keeping pace as he shook his head at her antics. They talked about nothing, her and the kid, and everything. She corrected him on a lot of words he thought he knew, teaching him, without meaning to, that there were multiple sides to everything. She had lots of strange definitions, treating words like ideas and expecting people to be open minded and accepting of them. 

“Darcy!” Someone was calling her name and waving an arm in the air. The slender figure in a t-shirt and opera gloves could only be Rogue. She sighed and waved back, grinning ruefully down at the kid. 

“Think you could make the grass swallow her feet so she can’t come over?” She asked, mostly kidding. He cocked an eyebrow. 

“We aren’t supposed to use our powers on our fellow students.” Kyle recited as though he’d been told this many, many times. 

“You mean you aren’t supposed to get caught.” She told him. He gave her an unimpressed look. “Just remember to tell them you were doing self study next time you get caught.” 

“Like practicing?” He asked, scrunching his eyebrows and nose. He was kind of cute, like a puppy. 

“Self study sounds like homework, teachers love that shit.” She told him, still grinning.

“Language!” A southern drawl interrupted her corruption and Darcy turned to raise her eyebrows at the girl. 

“It’s English and probably something he’s heard before. If it isn’t something he’s heard, Kyle has been living under a rock.” Darcy turned to look down at the amused boy contemplatively. “Or in his case, a mushroom.” She decided, turning back to Rogue. 

“Suddenly it all makes sense.” Rogue commented, both eyebrows raised. She raised an eyebrow at the kid, much like an older sister might to dismiss a younger sibling. Kyle stuck his tongue out at her and ran to join some other children playing soccer in a different section of the yard. Grounds? What did you call _this much_ grass, exactly? It was ridiculous. Who the hell had to mow this shit? 

“What’s up, kid?” Darcy asked, ignoring the fact that she was less than a decade older than the other girl. 

“I just wanted to check on you, make sure you were alright.” She was giving Darcy big, sad eyes and it was kind of irritating. Jane had tried that a few times, she’d learned not to do it. 

“And here I thought my storming off kind of implied the opposite of alright.” The curvy woman mused, not glancing at the girl beside her. She’d been wandering for at least a half hour, probably longer considering how much information Kyle had given her about Legos and Minecraft, so maybe Rogue was hoping she’d simply calmed down. 

“Logan feels really bad.” The slender girl continued. She wasn’t much taller than Darcy, maybe three inches, but she was willowy and appeared rather delicate, especially with the way she shied from touching other people. 

“Logan can suck it.” Darcy told her with a laugh.

“I’m serious.” She stopped, turning toward the older woman with a serious face. “Most people don’t know him like I do.” 

“Yeah, well, I don’t want to hear any of this from you. He can put on his big boy pants and come find me himself if he wants to, otherwise we’re two ships in the night with tangled nets.” She shrugged off the other girls concern and continued walking. Rogue didn’t catch up with her, apparently she wasn’t as strong willed as she might want to believe. 

Darcy made her way over to the soccer game and plopped gracelessly onto the grass, watching the kids. Kyle spotted her and waved vigorously, making her smile as she waved back, not as emphatically as he had. She didn’t want her arm to fall off after all. 

Something like a bell sounded, not an irritatingly shrill school bell, but an actual bell. Like a church or the Sound of Music. Wait, that was still a church, wasn’t it? Maybe it was a nunnery? Was that the word? No, it was a girls name! Abbey! It was an Abbey. Darcy was kind of proud of herself as children surrounded her, offering her hands up because she was alright in Kyle’s book. 

“Calling in the sheep for the night?” She asked, becoming amused by the blank and vaguely incredulous stares the kids all gave her. 

“I told you.” Kyle told his peers before looking at Darcy. “It’s the dinner bell. We have to go wash up and head to the dining room.” She shrugged and followed them, not really sure what else to do. She had the sinking feeling that they were spending the night here, considering how late it was becoming and the drive they’d had to get here. Natasha was waiting for her at the door, a small blue duffel bag with Power Man on the front hanging from her fingers. Darcy stared at the bag for a moment and the looked up at her friend’s blank face. 

“Sometimes I really hate you.” She informed the woman, taking her bag and filing in behind the kids. 

“Would you like to see your room? Ororo showed me where it is.” Natasha offered. Darcy sighed and nodded her head. She was upstairs in the corner, apparently nowhere near Natasha’s own room. It made her more suspicious. 

“So did I pack this, or did you pack this?” She asked as she entered the sparse room. It looked a bit like a dormitory with it’s sparseness, but then she supposed that guest rooms didn’t need to be inviting. 

“A bit of both,” Natasha told her, a slight grin to her lips.

“You knew I’d fight the dragon while inebriated.” Darcy commented, shaking her head but smiling a bit. Natasha quirked an eyebrow at her, grinning a bit. “I suppose all of this is for my own good?” 

“And for Logan’s. At the very least, he needs to get a decent look at what he’s going to be missing.” Natasha agreed, lounging in the only chair in the room. 

“How long are we here for?” Darcy asked, sighing. 

“Until tomorrow. The meeting was real, planned weeks ago. We need backup in place in case things go bad.” Natasha told her evenly, her gaze serious. “There are too many things focused on New York City and the ridiculous tower Stark declared as home of the Avengers. Everyone gets burnt out eventually,” 

“I’ve been saying that for a while, now.” Darcy agreed. 

“We’ve been listening.” Natasha cocked her head back a touch, inspecting the girl before her, playing with the zipper on a blue bag which had survived most of her childhood. Little had survived Darcy’s childhood. She needed good things, true things, and she had thrown herself head first into working with Jane after she’d graduated, dealing with the London Incident without a second though. Taking over the labs and then realizing she could delegate most of her work to people who knew science better than she did so she could do other things, things which might seem silly to those who didn’t understand the power of the populace at large. She had taken over their social media because she’d been offended by comments on twitter. She’d fixed it, then gone on to Tumblr and Reddit and Facebook and more. She’d commented back, given updates, made them seem approachable, likable even. Darcy had turned public opinion around on them every time it started to go bad, a feat which had Pepper offering her a contract and giving her more money than she probably knew what to do with since they had ensconced her in the tower with them rent free. Darcy had adopted the Avengers as a whole, and she’d never treated them as anything more or less than a friend. Most of them had very little experience with that. They owed her. Natasha owed her. 

Darcy continued to fiddle with the zipper on her bag, not looking back at Natasha. She was giving her a chance of some kind, apparently, but Darcy didn’t know what to do with it. She was lost when it came to personal maneuverings, most of the time. It was why she’d drifted in college. It was why she’d never had a relationship which lasted more than a few months, and why she had never really been in love with any of them. Her mother had thought she loved her father, but he wasn’t her soulmate and she’d met him when Darcy was two years old. He hadn’t wanted kids. So Darcy was left with a broken hearted man who, a short time later, began taking his rage out on her. Relationships worked out between those who weren’t soulmates, she’d seen the proof of that, her parents simply weren’t in that statistic.

Years of physical and emotional abuse had worn on the girl, but she’d learned early to mask it with false bravado and a wicked tongue. She was smart, smart enough to know the only way she’d get away is if she got the grades to get into a good school, a school big enough no one would question her staying through every holiday and working her tail off in whatever job she could get. She’d done everything from work as a barista to sorting packages at the local UPS to working a cash register at the local deli. She did what needed to be done, refused to look back, and when her father died in an alcohol infuzed haze, she wasn’t surprised and wasn’t actually sad. There wasn’t a lot left, the house had been a rental, the truck was a piece of crap, and she wasn’t sentimental enough to want anything from her miserable childhood. So it had been donated to charity and left behind to rot in her past. 

But her past was never really gone, it crept up on her now and then, reminding her why she hid behind her headphones so often. The first time Darcy had known, without a shadow of a doubt, that something was right, was when she met Jane. Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis were meant to be bosom buddies for life. They just got one another from the start, it had never happened before and suddenly Darcy _got it_ , she got why girls giggled and called one another bff’s and had sleepovers and all the other things she’d found ridiculous growing up. She had a place with Jane, she had a place forever. Even when they found one another ridiculous, there was a deep, abiding love. Maybe it was because both of them were so lonely and neither was willing to admit it. Either way, they were kind of a package deal now and forever more. 

“Why was he even there?” She didn’t need to explain, Natasha knew what she was talking about. 

“Dr. Hank McCoy, he’s a mutant and one of the science teachers here. He is also a big fan of Jane’s work, but with things how they are people didn’t feel it was safe for him to travel on his own. Not when his mutation isn’t one which can be hidden.” Natasha explained evenly. Darcy vaguely remembered the big blue dude with the fur, she’d wanted to pet him, but figured since she didn’t know him that well it might be considered rude. Damn, that implied Logan was loyal. Well, she’d kind of already figured that out.

“I’m not going to apologize. He was a jerk and he hurt my feelings and I am angry.” Darcy informed the other woman with a sigh that was sadder than she could have wished. Natasha was on her feet with an arm around the younger woman’s shoulder, her chin resting against Darcy’s temple as she tried to comfort her friend. 

“Would you like me to shoot him?” Natasha’s voice was compassionate and Darcy blinked, realizing she was completely serious and that it probably wouldn’t affect him for more than ten minutes or so. 

“Maybe later.” She told the assassin, completely serious. 

“All right, let me know, I’ll be happy to assist.” The purr in Natasha’s voice said everything. The woman liked violence the way Darcy liked frosting; more was always better. 

“Dinner, I guess.” Darcy sighed, this time it was gusty and not so sad. She could do this. She could be perky and tough and not let this get to her. She could. 

“I will be there with you.” Natasha reminded her, turning her about by the shoulders and guiding her to the door. Darcy huffed out a chuckle and allowed herself to be manhandled into the hall and down the stairs. 

Dinner could have been awkward, but Darcy discovered she was allowed to sit wherever she want and an excited Kyle waved her to him and his friends. She spent most of dinner describing the “Avengers At Home” and how it differed from who and what people thought they were. Then she used her practicality to figure out awesome ways to spin people’s talents (they had to rehash her reasonings behind the word, first) and come up with great ways they could use them to fulfill whatever dreams were in their little heads. 

After dinner, she couldn’t avoid everyone, and by everyone she meant those closer to her own age. The adults table had noticed her absence, it was hard not to when the table of elementary school kids she was with spent half most of the meal chattering excitedly at increasingly higher decibels. Apparently she had somehow passed a test, though, because no longer was she receiving distrustful looks and accusing glances. People were smiling (shocking, really) and telling her good night. Maybe it was because she was nice to the kids? Anyone who wasn’t, though, was a dick. They were _kids_ and her own childhood had shown her you needed to give them things to believe in and people to trust otherwise they were going to end up cynical, depressed, and lonely.


	4. Swing Life Away by Rise Against, Finale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things might not be so bad after all.

Darcy ducked as many people as she could and slipped upstairs after dinner. She found her iPod and headphones before quickly deciding staying in her room would mean people could find her and she would have nowhere else to hide. So she slipped downstairs and out the first door she could find, tucking in her earbuds and putting on her “with a glass of red wine” playlist. She needed smooth and soft right now. She found what was apparently a rose garden, though it wasn’t lit so she wasn’t entirely sure that was what it was. A stone bench called to her and she tucked herself in the corner, bringing her knees to her chest so her heels could rest on the seat as she stared at the stars instead of the shadows of the roses. 

A few songs into the playlist someone joined her. She didn’t bother looking, she knew it was Logan. He was huge and took up more than his fair share of room on the bench. He got bonus points for not trying to talk to her. She let the music fill up her empty spots, staring at the stars for a while longer. Soon, though, her curiosity got the best of her and she turned her head to the side, resting her cheek on her knees as she stared calmly at the man beside her. He turned in her direction and cocked his eyebrows questioningly. She took a deep breath and contemplated him for a moment, chewing on her lower lip in a way she hadn’t since high school. She paused her music before pulling the out her earbuds and slowly wrapping them around her iPod. 

“I’m an ass.” He told her, she didn’t look up from her iPod. Her chin was on her knees, her wrists on her ankles, the silver object being fiddled with in her fingers. 

“I noticed.” She told him, a lopsided grin fluttering across her lips for a moment. 

“I’m not really good at first impressions.” He admitted, chuckling. She shifted her eyes to the left, watching him rub a hand across the back of his neck. 

“Or second, or third.” She added, looking down again. Without anyone else here she didn’t have enough fight in her to prove herself tough. She didn’t really need to, though. She didn’t owe him anything. 

“I deserve that.” He sighed heavily, leaning back against the bench, his hands draped in his lap. They stayed silent for a little longer, neither knowing what to say, until Logan began speaking again. “I’m not good at this, at people. Maybe I was once, though I kind of doubt it. I have no memories from before a few years ago, but apparently I fought in a lot of wars, including the civil war. Doesn’t matter what age you are, doll, I’d still be a cradle robber.” He leaned forward now, clasping his hands together, his elbows on his knees as his fists dropped lower. 

“You know, I’d have understood if you just introduced yourself and said you didn’t have time to get to know me, or that you had no interest in getting to know me. I’d have understood a lot if you’d at least been polite. Hell, I kind of understand why you did what you did now that I’m here.” She uncurled herself, putting her hands in her lap and her feet on the ground like a big girl. They were stuck in silence again, this time she was the one that broke it. “How’d you find me?” 

“”I asked Chuck,” Logan told her. Chuck, as in Charles, as in Xavier. Damn, she should have thought of that one. Well, she was allowed one miss now and again. There were hard conversations they probably needed to be having, discussions on life and views and what to do in case of emergency, and who the hell knew what else, but neither was comfortable at the moment. 

“Super healing is pretty nifty.” She told him after a few moments, turning her head to look at him curiously. He frowned a bit, his face vaguely confused as he looked at her.

“Nifty?” He asked. She cocked an unimpressed eyebrow and she shrugged his shoulders, as though to agree that he would just go with it. “Not as _nifty_ as these bad boys.” He made fists and three claws shot out of each hand. She reached over, petting a finger over the base of the claws, where the metal met flesh. 

“Does it hurt?” She asked. He considered it for a moment. 

“Stings a little, but it’s gone in seconds.” He would have shrugged, but he was watching her fingers. No one touched the claws. It sounded silly even thinking the words, but … people weren’t tactile with him. He had to hide his claws to calm people down and here she was petting them. She was a strange woman. Speaking of strange. “A hedgehog?” He cocked an eyebrow at her and she couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up. 

“Somewhere in the world a PETA member had a massive coronary and didn’t know why.” She told him, still smiling as she twisted around to face him, leaning back comfortably. 

“No animals were harmed during the making of this threat,” Logan said, waving his arms half heartedly. She laughed again. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, he’s got jokes!” Darcy poked her toe against his calf, grinning. 

“Doesn’t happen often, the kids think I’m too old.” Logan told her, grinning himself, but not looking at her. Weren’t they just two peas in a pod, though. 

“I’d take that to heart, dude, these kids seem pretty smart.” Darcy told him, still smiling. He glanced over at her, one eyebrow raised. She realized suddenly that she was reading his tiny facial tics as though they were part of the conversation, she had been for most of the day. He’d been responding, though, which meant she was interpreting them correctly. Well, hell, she couldn’t read Clint or Natasha a third as well and she’d known them a lot longer. Maybe there _was_ something to this. 

“What is it?” He asked as she stopped smiling and stared at him with concern in her big blue eyes. 

“I think I get you more than I thought I would.” She told him, breathing deeply as various ramifications began sifting through her brain. 

“Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?” He asked her, curious. She shook her head; he’d asked the wrong question. 

“It’s just a thing.” She told him. “At least for now. Maybe forever. Maybe just for a little while, I don’t know. Usually what I don’t know excites me. This time it just … I don’t know.” 

“Thanks for clarifying that for me.” His dry tone didn’t stop her from noticing him glanced down at where her hand was still covering the back of one of his. He slowly let his claws recede back into his hands, the holes closing so quickly they didn’t even spill any blood. His body was so used to the motions it didn’t waste the energy any longer. 

“If anyone needs clarification, it’s me.” She informed him, kicking him in the calf this time. He turned an incredulous look on her and she made a mocking mimicry of it back. “You are the one who was running all dry ice on me until you suddenly decided to behave like you’re partly domesticated.” 

“You know I’m not actually an animal, right? It’s just my codename.” Logan told her, his face blank as he sorted through her words. 

“I call it like I see it,” She informed him archly, echoing back his own words. 

“Most of the people here would agree with you anyway.” Logan shrugged, turning around a touch to gaze back at the school, something indefinable in his eyes. Darcy didn’t like it. She twisted around so she was up on her knees on the bench, a little taller than him now. 

“The rest of the people don’t matter. _I_ matter.” She informed him, her finger under his chin as he stared at her with a touch of incredulousness. She arched both eyebrows, daring him to argue. He didn’t say a word. “I am your soulmate. I am the one person the universe or fate or whatever thing gives us these marks, says will stand beside you and accept you no matter what dumbass thing you choose to do. From what I’ve seen so far, you do a lot of dumbass things, so you’re lucky I’m an understanding sort.”

“Chuck is an understanding sort, you’re…” Logan paused for a moment.

“Yeah, you might want to think hard before you finish that one.” Darcy advised, her tone understanding and condescending all at once. 

“Trust me, I am.” Logan told her, closing his fingers around her wrist and gently pulling her hand away from his chin. 

“Good. What’s the point of having a brain if you don’t use it? You react to things as soon as they happen, lashing out with whatever emotion you feel right that second. Me? I don’t react until I’ve thought things through most of the time.” Darcy told him, trying to figure out where their puzzle piece edges might match up. 

“So the coffee cup?” Logan asked, a faint grin on his face.

“Extenuating circumstances.” She shot back instantly. “I might let you attack me, but I certainly won’t let someone attack my friends, especially when they aren’t around to defend themselves.” She returned, not budging on that point. 

Logan watched the young woman for a moment, wondering if she realized just how much she’d given away with that statement. She protected her friends, but she didn’t protect herself. She would defend him, apparently, but she wouldn’t defend herself. Maybe she needed someone to stand up for her. Logan could do that. He was used to being the strong one. The one at the front of the team, taking the fire and blame and doing his best to not care when he got all the flack when the rubble settled. She had basically told him she’d forgive him for all his stunts, that was more than anyone else had ever offered to do for him, and certainly more than anyone truly meant. This little pixie of a woman fully intended to protect him. He could see it in the fire of her eyes and the mulish pout of her lips. 

“You aren’t going to make this easy, are you?” He asked, a grin cracking across his face once more. 

“You’d be bored if I did.” She started grinning herself, twisting her wrist around so that she could clasp his fingers with hers. “Darcy Lewis, Scientist Wrangler and Avengers Social Media expert.” She told him. 

“Logan. I teach self defense to bunch of not so defenseless kids.” He told her, gripping her fingers a little tighter. 

“Emotionally defenseless for the most part, good kids though.” She added, thinking of Kyle and his friends. 

“Some of them are brats.” Logan informed her.

“You’re a brat.” She shot back, instantly decided that she had been mature enough for the evening. 

“Are you serious?” He demanded, his voice deepening a touch as he stared at her. She cocked an eyebrow and tipped her head to the side. 

“Hell yeah I am, and you owe me coffee.” She informed him, climbing off the bench and staring at him expectantly. 

“What, right now?” How the hell had he gotten matched with this crazy woman? 

“Yes, right now. Hop to, chop chop.” She clapped her hands together and he stood up, staring down at her as she craned her head back a bit. 

“Do you know what time it is?” He asked, starting forward despite himself.

“Coffee time, let’s go.” She walked beside him, close enough that if she moved just a hair they might brush hands. 

“Fine, let’s go get you your coffee.” He reached out. Their fingers entwined and he sped up, forcing her to half jog to keep up even though she was now laughing. They made it to the garage and he pulled down a helmet, holding it out to her. Instead of balking Darcy pulled it on, snapping it under her chin. Logan threw a long leg over his motorcycle and held out an arm, but Darcy was already climbing on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He grinned, pulling on his own helmet and starting the bike. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.


	5. The Phoenix by Fall Out Boy - pt 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You should really think about your life choices if you think it's alright to kidnap Wolverine's soulmate.

“Listen, Pixie Pie.” He had that _tone_ again, and she had warned him she didn’t respond well to it. 

“You’re mixing your metaphors.” She interrupted him archly, not looking up from her work on the computer. His constant need to describe her as a little winged creature was kind of fun, but she was pretty sure he was mocking her perkiness right now and fuck him, she was proud to be a pegasister! 

“You’re the one with pink horses in your hair.” He told her, easily segued and obviously bored. 

“They are ponies, they are awesome, and one of your kids gave them to me.” She shot back, not at all embarrassed by the cute little hair clips. To be fair though, not much embarrassed her these days. She’d met her Logan three months ago. Their initial meeting hadn’t gone so well, he’d kind of been an ass. No, he had definitely been an ass. Thankfully one of her favorite redheads had stepped in and the next week they had managed to figure one another out, a bit. Now they seemed to spend half their time skyping and the rest of it in each other’s presence. 

Neither of them, however, was willing to admit they were romantically or even physically attracted to the other. It was making for interesting times at both of their homes. Today they were at the Tower so Logan could play liaison. Mostly it involved him prowling about the common rooms making snarky comments while Darcy retaliated in kind. Sometimes he got to play with the team while they were dueling the bad guy of the week, which seemed to make him happy, then he’d come back all smug and smelling of sweat and have to use Darcy’s shower. She complained, loudly, but made no bones about the fact that she enjoyed the view when he left the bathroom without his shirt. Also, it amused her when he smelled like her flowery shampoo.

“Whatever, all I’m saying is that if this Angel was to bone this human, wouldn’t that be defiling his sock puppet human skin guy?” Logan demanded. They’d started this argument the night before while watching TV, the large man eating most of her popcorn because he was a snack food thief. 

“Stop raining on my fandom! Destiel is as inevitable as peanut butter and jelly.” Darcy informed him, glowering at the smirk starting to tilt up the corner of his mouth. She narrowed her own eyes back at him. “And don’t think I won’t tell Thor you’re the one who stole the last of the strawberry sprinkles poptarts.” 

“I didn’t steal ‘em, I ate ‘em.” He was outright grinning now and Darcy reached over to snatch a pen off the table and chuck it at his head. All he did was tilt his head to the right, his facial expression didn’t even change. He was getting used to the curvy little woman throwing things at his head when she was irritated. “Besides, you stole one of them from me, anyhow.” He reminded her. 

“Always pillage before you burn.” Darcy shrugged. She had figured since Logan already had them she might as well help him get rid of evidence. She’d never promised not to hold the blackmail over his head, though. 

“You’re spending too much time with Asgardians.” Logan informed her after a sharp bark of laughter. She liked his laugh, it was either warm and grumbly like a bear, or a deep, sharp, staccato that resonated straight through her chest. It made her smile even when she was irritated. 

“I learned that from Erik.” She informed him, setting aside her laptop and standing up to stretch her arms high above her head. She noted the way Logan’s gaze tracked her curves and the grin he gave her quirked eyebrow was completely unapologetic. 

He’d been giving her a lot of looks lately. She was giving him looks as well, of course, but hers were more circumspect. Well, she liked to think so, anyway. She had no doubt that everyone else knew what she and Logan knew: they were going to get together sooner or later. Probably sooner rather than later, she was just waiting for some wooing. She wanted wooing. She _deserved_ wooing. He owed her that at least, the jackass. 

“Whatever, go play with Bucky and Steve, I’ve gotta check on my quartet of mad scientists.” She waved her hands at him and moved toward the door. She didn’t expect a large arm to wrap around her stomach, pulling her flush against a very well muscled body. She turned her head, looking up at him from the corner of her eye, a hint of a grin on her mouth. 

“Let’s get dinner tonight, just you and me. Someplace nice.” He rumbled. She could feel the words vibrate through his chest and into her back. 

“I want steak.” She replied. He grinned, a flash of white teeth and sharp canines. 

“Me too.” He replied, pulling her tighter for just an instant before letting her go. Darcy stepped through the door, glancing back over her shoulder with that pixie grin of hers which promised all kinds of mischief. Then she was dancing away and Logan was letting out a deep breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. 

He gave himself a couple minutes to be smug and then ambled out of Darcy’s office, heading toward the gym so he could get join a couple super soldiers and they could beat on each other until something more interesting happened. Like food. Or a date. 

It was a few hours later when the call came in. James and Steve were eating (they were always eating) and Logan was drinking a bottle of water, the three men still sweaty from their workout. The alarm blew, well, gently dinged throughout the facility. 

“You are needed in the war room, sirs.” Jarvis announced from his speakers. 

“On it.” Everything was dumped in the sink or the waste bins and they went upstairs. 

Natasha was standing, feet shoulder width apart and face stone cold. Spotting her, James went rigid, making Steve tense as well. Anytime his soulmate looked the least bit upset Steve tensed up, too. Still, it was the cold face and the furious eyes which were making ice crawl up Logan’s back. 

Hazel eyes, far more amber than green, swept around the room. The team was accounted for, so he wasn’t sure why he his fists were bunching and the rage was building. Maybe he was bonding? He wasn’t usually very good at that, much better at pissing people off and then beating out his bad moods. Maybe Darcy wasn’t as good an influence as he thought. He didn’t like doing anything Summers would approve of. He glanced up, Clint was perched on the edge of a catwalk which had likely only been built so he would be happy. Fucking Tony, always needing to give people toys like they were children. He was sure there was a messed up childhood psychological rant in there somewhere. 

Speaking of Darcy, she wasn’t about like she usually was. Neither were Erik or Jane, so she was likely in the science … his eyes focused on the search being run on the multitude of screens in front of the red haired assassin. This was why Clint was perched as though he were about to leap away at any moment. Tony and Sam were missing, likely prepping the jet. Natasha’s eyes flickered back and forth, Thor … he wasn’t sure where Thor was. Likely with Tony. 

“Who?” His voice cracked like a whip across the room, but no one flinched. He had never, and likely would never, intimidate Natasha. She considered James Barnes to be one of her best friends, was soulmates with the world’s best marksman, and seemed to think his own soulmate was one of the most adorable humans in the world. Of course her version of tough love could get a limb amputated, so there was always that. 

“AIM.” Natasha responded, her eyes flicking from one screen to another. 

“Sitrep.” Steve commanded, using his Captain voice. She shot him a look over his shoulder, reminding him she was the Omega in this group. Out of everyone, Logan included, Natasha was the one most likely to go off orders. It wasn’t that she didn’t listen, it was more if she thought something could be done better, or more quickly, by doing it herself (no matter how dangerous it might be), she would do it. She had the scars to prove it. 

“Darcy and Jane went for coffee. The left the tower at 2:14, were seen entering Starbucks at 2:22, cameras went dark at 2:26, both of their personal panic buttons went off at 2:29. At 2:33 the police were called, both women were taken, and both purses were left behind in the coffee house.” Natasha informed them. There was a timer next to the clock. The time read 2:37, the timer beside it said 8 minutes 23 seconds. So they were counting from the alarms going off. Logan nodded to himself thinking that was a wise move since they couldn’t be sure, with the cameras all off, when exactly they were taken after that. 

“How do we know it was AIM.” Steve asked, his voice calm and his brows tight in thought. 

“Facial recognition just before the cameras went out. Three individuals were identified, all three former SHIELD and all three known AIM operatives. We are running searches on them now.” Natasha told him.

“What kind of searches?” Logan demanded, wanting to know where Darcy was _now_ and not in five minutes. He hadn’t gone through kidnappings with them before, he hadn’t fought beside them more than a handful of times, and damn it he didn’t trust anyone enough to hand over his soulmate's future without knowing every single detail he could learn.

“Former affiliates, recent whereabouts, facial recognition, financial movements, family history, car registration for them and those they are closest to, recent car thefts, and we are running every vehicle in the vicinity. We know what we are doing, Logan.” Natasha told him, a sneer in her voice. Probably on her face, too, but he wasn’t looking at her face. His eyes were closed and he was attempting not to see red. He wanted to stab her in the back with his claws, to rend and tear until he could feel better. Only it wouldn’t make him feel better because he still wouldn’t have Darcy. This was probably what Chuck meant about controlling himself better. 

Until just this moment he hadn’t realized just how much he had come to care for the young woman. Boy, did he mean young. The difference in their age was impressive, to say the least. For some reason it worked, though. Sure, it was hard at times because he didn’t understand what she was talking about, few people spoke with her level of pop culture awareness. It was why the kids liked her, it was why she could deal with Tony Stark so easily, and it helped her talk circles around people who didn’t realize she was twice as smart as they were without them ever figuring it out. 

In three short months he had come to rely on the short, curvy, little spitfire who happened to be his soulmate. Enough so that instead of being mad that she had been taken, even though she would definitely be arguing that she could very well take care of herself, he wanted to murder every single person who had laid so much as an eye on her and was part of that organization. She had mentioned anger management, he could manage it just fine. He’d just focus it on all of them whom he decided deserved it. She would definitely not approve. He really wished that didn’t matter quite so much.


	6. The Phoenix by Fall Out Boy - Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy and Jane are not your average damsels

Darcy was not amused. She had convinced Jane to go out to Coffee with her using one word “date” and then, when they were there to gossip and giggle and be ridiculously girly, someone had decided they needed to be kidnapped. What the everloving hell had she done in her past life to have such shitty timing? She needed to gush and be excited and then spend far too long attempting to find an outfit to go to dinner with a man that had already seen her in every sort of outfit she owned. He’d also seen her closet strewn across her floor (twice) because she couldn’t find one shirt and she needed _that_ shirt because nothing else was going to work that day. 

None of those things were the point. The point was they were going to _dinner_. Alone. For steak. _Tonight!_ This was big! It deserved attention and excitement and a coffee break which didn’t include people coming in with guns calmly telling everyone to remain calm and get on the floor with their hands behind their heads. Except for Darcy and Jane. Darcy and Jane were told to remain standing and then, after about twenty-three seconds to follow them. Darcy put on her best “I don’t think so.” face and crossed her arms. That was when Jane elbowed her and looked pointedly at the people now laying across the floor. 

She’d growled out something that sounded like “Fine.” and then ripped her arm out of the grip of the man that had chosen to escort her. He’d grabbed her arm again, this time more firmly, and jerked her hard to make sure she followed. It didn’t seem like it took very long for everyone to get in and out of the coffee shop, Darcy never did get her Grande nonfat quad shot raspberry white mocha, though, and she was feeling rather bitter about that. If you are going to order a seven dollar drink your kidnappers should at least let you grab it so you can enjoy the fruits of the barista’s over-priced labor. 

So instead of coffee Darcy got a black nylon bag put over her head, zip ties on her wrists, and a bumpy ride in the back of a van where there were no seat belts and she and Jane kept falling on top of one another. It was uncomfortable, it was unnecessary, and Darcy planned on having _words_ with whoever had thought this was a good idea. Obviously that person was a moron. For now, she sat (rocked, fell, sprawled, etc.) in seething silence. 

It didn’t feel like they were in the van for very long before it was pulling to a stop and a hand was wrapped around her arm, tugging her up onto her feet. Well, sort of on her feet. She wasn’t always graceful at the best of time, so she ended up falling hard on her side on the metal bottom of the van, whoever was holding onto her arm let go so he wouldn’t get pulled as well and she took the opportunity to twist on her back and kick out as hard as she could. She felt her feet connect solidly with someone and a thud before people were grabbing her legs and flipping her body back over. Something hit her and she let out a cry of pain, instantly inciting Jane. 

She could hear her name being called frantically by her friend and thunks and thuds that implied she was fighting back. Just because they were on team Science (well, team IT really, in Darcy’s part) and considered the civilian party, didn’t mean they weren’t fighters. It certainly didn’t mean they were going to take mistreatment lying down, and neither of them was ever likely to sit silent if their friends were being attacked in front of them. Darcy struggled more as Jane shrieked in rage and pain, the physicist wasn’t easily cowed by anyone or anything, they should have done their research. 

In the end she got the bag off her head, a split lip, a throbbing pain in her temple that she was pretty sure was bleeding, and thrown over someone’s shoulder like a sack of potatoes while she was too stunned to fight back. It was just a breather though, she needed to regroup, then she’d show them who was boss. She wiggled her hips a bit anyhow and felt fingers dig into her thighs as a voice warned her not to do anything stupid. 

“Look who’s talking, buddy. Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you’ve brought on yourself?” Darcy demanded, flexing her arms awkwardly as she tried to get her elbow enough to the side to slap her captor in the face with it. Her elbows were bony, it would hurt. 

“I’d watch it girl, you’re expendable.” Another man commented. She turned her head, attempting to glare despite the white hot spear of agony that shot through her head at the movement. He captor jiggled her hard on his shoulder and she didn’t bother stopping when her gag reflex acted up and she lost her breakfast down his back. The man paused, but then kept walking. She wished she could throw up again, but it wasn’t something she had control over, sadly. 

They were hauled through a narrow, dirty corridor and then tossed into an empty room with gray walls, ratty carpeting, and no windows. Darcy landed on her hip, hissing in irritation and blinking back the bright spots of light suddenly overtaking her vision. She was going to sic Logan on that guy, just see if she didn’t. She was a modern feminist, damnit, she used all weapons in her arsenal - sometimes that included her soulmate. 

“Darcy?” Jane was shuffling and Darcy turned, seeing her coming closer. The younger woman rolled a bit, trying to pull herself up into a sitting position. 

“Damn my hatred of core exercises.” Darcy groaned, using her stomach muscles to pull her torso up into a sitting position. 

“Damn my hatred of any exercises.” Jane sighed turning toward the sound of the other woman’s voice. She hadn’t lost her hood so Darcy bounced over, her eyes closed. 

“Hold on, Boss Lady,” Darcy leaned forward, biting the back of the hood and pulling it off her friend. Hair stuck to her forehead from sweat and big, amber eyes went wide with sympathy as she took in the bruised and bleeding countenance that was her best friend. Then her eyes narrowed and she darted a look at the door, as though daring them to come in right now. 

“It’s not as bad as it looks.” Darcy told her, shrugging. 

“You’re a terrible liar.” Jane informed her tartly, wiggling her arms and then bouncing a touch before pulling her arms under her bottom and legs so they were now in front where she could reach into her pocket and pull out her trusty leatherman. Darcy blinked twice, sure she was seeing things.

“Are you serious?” She demanded in an incredulous whisper. 

“I know, right?” Jane asked, shaking her head as she neatly snipped her own bindings and then Darcy’s as well. That being done she tucked her gadget into her pocket and was checking Darcy's head with a frown. "Probably not fatal." The scientist pronounced, standing up and looking around at the blank walls and then the door itself. 

"I'm not thinking we have a huge amount of time, Jane." Darcy told her, staring up and resolutely ignoring the throbbing in her temple. What the hell had he hit her with? It bothered her that she couldn't remember. 

"Definitely not. Give me your bobby pins." She held out a hand and Darcy snagged three out of the thick coils tucked up on the back of her head. Jane shoved them in the lock and then broke off the tips. That would buy them a minute or two. 

"Corner tile?" Darcy asked with a sigh, already knowing this was going to suck. Jane shrugged and went to the corner, looking up with a frown. 

"And pray we don't fall through." She agreed. "I'd better go first, you might have a concussion." The younger woman braced herself in the corner with one knee on the ground, one knee at a 90 degree angle, and her hands flat against the wall with her head bowed down. Jane stepped from her knee to shoulders, making Darcy groan as she shoved aside the ceiling tile and started pulling herself up. Darcy clenched her eyes shut and carefully stood, trying to boost her friend without suddenly seeing double. 

"Its so dirty." Came the call from above.   
"Says the woman who hoarded dirty coffee mugs in the bottom drawer of her desk." Darcy shot back, standing up as Jane reached her hand down. There was some unwieldy jumping, strained muscles, and groaning, but thankfully no throwing up while Darcy clambered up.

"We have got to work on our upper body strength." Jane decided, breathing heavily as she attempted to spread her weight out over the support prices in the ceiling and the flimsy tiles themselves. 

"Also the escape route. Which way do we go?" Darcy asked. Jane stared at her for a moment before looking back and forth. 

"I guess we follow the wall to that creepy dark space that I'm hoping is actually a service hatch tunnel." The other woman decided with a shrug. 

"Suddenly I understand why horror movie scream queens make dumb decisions." The younger woman mentioned, following the careful movements of her friend. 

"If this were a horror movie we would both be dead, only virgins live." Jane reminded her, hissing to try and keep their voices down. 

"Do you think God Sex would be enough to save you? Like super semen?" The younger one mused. Jane paused, almost making the other woman bump into her. 

"I am using that argument against Tony during movie night." Jane decided, continuing on. Darcy chuckled, trying not to sneeze from all the dust. Who knew what kind of a reaction shed get from her killer headache if she did. 

"I think God Sex might actually be new argument against Tony for everything." The petite genius continued, a smug tone in her voice. Darcy had created a monster and she couldn't be prouder. 

"Its a tunnel!" Jane whispered excitedly a moment later. Darcy grinned and continued on carefully until she was in the steel access tunnel. They didn't bother pausing, just kept going until they got to a fork. 

"Left or right?" Jane demanded. 

"How the hell would I know? Do I look like Clint?" The younger woman shot back. Jane turned right and they continued for a short way. 

"I think we are going up." The physicist craned her head to look back at Darcy and the younger woman shrugged. 

"Do you really want to go back?" She asked. Jane sighed and continued forward again. It was hot as hell in the damn tunnels but they continued on, taking random turns without actually knowing where they were going. 

"Do you smell tacos?" Darcy asked suddenly, reaching forward to grip Jane's ankle. The other woman paused and sniffed. 

"I think I do." Jane agreed, a note of wary confusion in her voice. 

"Follow the smell, I'm hungry and I have to pee." Darcy commanded. Jane laughed quietly and did as she was bid. The choice between being scared out of their wits and choosing to find dark humor in the situation was an easy one for both women.


	7. The Phoenix by Fall Out Boy - Pt 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rescue missions shall be had!

They were finally moving. Logan had donned the black leather with the yellow piping he kept in the tower. That was per Darcy’s request, she said if he was going to pretend to be a superhero and play in her teams sandbox, he had to use their rules. That included a costume because it made it easier for civilians to know he was apparently a good guy. Technically he had another copy of the thing at the mansion, but he usually just ended up wearing jeans and his jacket. Chuck was more forgiving than Darcy. 

The man had his arms at his side, fingers tapping out a rhythm on his thighs as he waited for the vehicle they were using to screech around another corner. He would have preferred to drive, but Natasha was good. She took the corners like they weren’t in a billboard with wheels and kept to speeds that had others in the vehicle gripping doors and handles with white knuckles. 

They screeched around another corner and then made a sharp turn and sudden brake. The door was ripped open by grateful Captain America and then Logan was leaping out, nose in the air and sniffing. She had been here. His eye caught on a spill near some metal stairs and he moved forward, crouching over it for a moment. 

“What are you, a dog?” Tony demanded via the headset in Wolverine’s ear. 

“That’s from Darcy.” Was all he said. It got a few gagging noises from the billionaire, but everyone else ignored him. 

“Remember, we need them alive for questioning.” Steve reminded them as Natasha got the door opened and the four of them, Captain America, Black Widow, Wolverine, and Hawkeye, went in the front door. Iron Man and Thor would start at the top and make their way down. 

Wolverine was in first, a human shaped wrecking ball with a single goal in mind and no care to the safety of anyone that got between him and her. A fist to the face was usually all it took, if he could get that close. When guns came into play there were claws and limbs bleeding profusely. Their stinking blood was masking her scent, though, he couldn’t pinpoint her. 

“Where is she!?” The voice from down the hall echoed with the sound of thunder. Some people simply didn’t understand who and what Thor truly was. Right now, above all else, he was scared for his soulmate. A warrior, a leader of warriors, a _prince_ of warriors. The man was used to commanding hundreds, if not more, and knew how to make the hard choices and live with the consequences. 

“Natasha, pinging the location to you.” Tony’s voice in their ear preceded a beep from Natasha’s small tablet computer. She tapped out a few commands and then turned, jogging down the hall and making a sharp left, the other three men at her back. Two turns and one locked door later. Wolverine stepped around, his claws tracing an arc around the doorknob and letting the door swing open on an empty room. 

“Tony, bad intel.” Steve started.

“No, right room.” Natasha informed them. Clint was in the corner, looking up at an open vent with a grin. 

“What’s going on, do you have the ladies?” Tony demanded.

“Apparently we were taking too long and they decided to rescue themselves.” Natasha replied, her lips quirking up into a smug smirk. Logan had a feeling she was proud of the girls at the moment.

“Well that was nice of them.” Tony replied, the sounds of fist hitting flesh going on behind him. 

“Depending on how long they’ve been in there, they could be out.” Steve offered as Clint put one foot against the wall and used it as a lever to jump high enough to kick off a higher part of the wall, catch the opening, and pull himself up into the opening. 

“I’ll catch up.” He told them with a grin before his face disappeared from the opening with hardly a whisper of sound to give him away. It was both creepy and impressive. Logan stepped forward, his eyes zeroing in on a mark on the wall. He wiped a finger across it and then lifted it, already knowing what it was. 

“Blood. It can’t be too bad if they made it out.” Natasha informed Logan with a calm voice and hooded eyes. He met her gaze head on, not bothering to blink. While the woman was petite and had a body that seemed made for pleasure, she was the most dangerous person on the team, besides Hulk. She was the one he would bet on in any fight, she was dirty, she was ruthless, and he was pretty sure she had as much animal in her as he did in himself. 

Natasha looked away first. Not because she was intimidated, but because her phone was vibrating in one of the many pockets on her belt. She pulled it out and glanced at the front. She slid her thumb across the screen and lifted the phone to her ear. 

“Yes?” She asked. She never gave her name, she never said hello, and she rarely gave out her number. 

“Hey Nat, it’s Jane. Do you think you could come pick me and Darcy up? There was a problem during our coffee break.” The scientist's voice sounded a touch embarrassed and the redhead raised a single eyebrow, turning to look at Logan. The man had ridiculous hearing and was already shaking his head in irritation. Likely he was jealous in some measure that she had been called instead of himself. 

“We are aware and taking care of the inconvenience. Where are you?” Natasha nodded once, memorizing the address, which was simply on the other side of the building, but you had to go outside and around to get to it, a little hole in the wall restaurant. 

“I’m not sure if Darcy has a concussion or not, she needs to see someone.” Jane continued. 

“I’ll let Bruce know.” Natasha promised before hanging up and striding out of the room, her phone back in it’s pocket and her finger on her ear piece. “JARVIS, did you get that?” She asked. Once she’d received the assurance she continued down the hall, skipping down the steps with Logan right behind her and Steve making his way to Tony and Thor. 

The stragglers the two ran into had no chance, and were given no quarter. They left a trail of broken bodies behind them as they hurried down the stairs and out to the street. Natasha got into the SUV, drawing a growl from the man. She was unimpressed and let him know with a telling look. He climbed in, stilling growling, and she gunned it, shooting down the alley and narrowly missing a cab as she took the corner sharp and fast. They went halfway around the block once more and then she screeched to a stop, neatly parking out of the way and already stepping out of the car before he had fully realized that they were there. He was a little impressed despite himself. 

“Darcy says she is not leaving until she finishes eating.” Clint announced, holding open the door with a little grin. Natasha patted him on the cheek in a fondly approving move and Logan shook his head as he went in behind her. 

“Don’t give me that look, woman, I’m hungry.” Darcy growled, ignoring the worried looking older woman muttering in Spanish and looking at the brunette reprovingly. 

“Paloma is not impressed, she wanted to call an ambulance.” Jane informed them, sitting across from Darcy and also eating a taco. 

“You!” The woman came around her corner, waving a rag at Logan imperiously. “You look like a smart boy. You take her to the doctor. Now.” Logan blinked at the woman and then grinned a bit. 

“You heard the lady, Pixie.” He informed his soulmate. 

“No. I didn’t get my coffee, they will not cheat me out of lunch.” She snarled, flinching back when his finger prodded gently at the wound on her head. He glanced over his shoulder and the older woman, now back at the counter, held up a rather full looking bag. He wrapped an arm around the brunette who only resisted for a moment before letting him pull her up against his chest. There wasn’t enough fight in her and it worried him. 

“I’ve got the food!” Jane announced, grabbing the bag and accepting a hug and motherly kiss from the woman before the trooped out. 

“El loco ese Deadpool viene por las chimichangas y ahora mujeres vienen a sangrar encima de mis mesas. Dios mío” The woman continued to spout off in Spanish as they group trooped out. 

“Alright sweetheart, tell me where it hurts.” Logan commanded, voice gruff and eyes worried as he climbed into the backseat with Clint and Darcy. The archer was apparently a walking first aid kit, pulling bandages, cleaning agents, and various other bits from all over his person and piling them up on Darcy’s lap as she slapped at Logan’s hands every time he tried to poke her head again. 

“I’ll make you hurt if you keep poking me.” She promised him as Natasha drove them back to the tower in a much less manic way. The mutant looked out the front window and then across Darcy to Clint, raising a single eyebrow. Clint just grinned, so Logan shrugged and figured he would pay more attention to Natasha’s driving habits later. 

“You? Hurt me?” He asked Darcy, a smarmy grin on his face. She frowned and lifted her hand, poking him sharply right in the eye. “Ow!” He cried, more surprised than anything else.

“Ow! Clint!” Darcy swung her head around to glare at the archer and then blinked as the sharp movement made her face go pale and bloodless. 

“I’m going to be sick.” She mentioned.

“Nah, that was for nausea, you should be good in another minute or so.” The archer told her, capping the syringe he’d stuck her with, his voice cheerful. 

“I may not hate you anymore.” The brunette grudgingly admitted to the blonde man as her stomach stopped rebelling and the throbbing in her temple went down a notch. 

“Bruce is on standby, he should look at your head. You’ve probably got a concussion.” Logan told her, not poking at the wound this time, but his fingers, though strong, were gentle on her head as he tried to look at it again. She wrinkled her nose in an irritated manner, but inside she was getting a little gooey. They’d taken a bit of the wind out of his sails, getting themselves out on their own, but he was still worried and wanting to flutter around her like a nervous mama duck. 

She was going to have to think that image really loudly in Charles’ vicinity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation: Crazy deadpool comes for the chimichangas and now women bleed all over my tables. 
> 
> Sorry, no actual Deadpool, guys. not in this section.


	8. 4 - The Phoenix by Fall Out Boy - Finale

It was three days, a great many painkillers, and some new security protocols later before Darcy got that dinner she wanted. It involved a still testy Wolverine, a very large bruise across what felt like half her face, stiff joints, sore muscles, and flats because heels were beyond her capability at the moment. It was a freaking date, though, and that was all she really wanted. 

“You gonna be okay, doll?” Logan asked, his voice rumbling a bit deeper as he frowned at her. The woman narrowed her eyes and cut another small chunk from her steak, popping it in her mouth and chewing it on the right, because the left side was still ridiculously sore. She’d been gotten pretty good. Natasha was full of positive affection for her fighting back, but had decided she would be learning how to keep herself from getting too badly injured as soon as Bruce cleared her. 

“I’m fine.” She snarled, swallowing the steak and taking a large gulp of her red wine. Logan stared at her for a moment and the wisely turned back to his own steak. 

After they finished dinner and were walking along the brisk streets of New York Logan looped an arm around her shoulders and she tucked herself closer to him, wrapping her own arm around his waist, her fingers brushing under his shirt so her thumb could tuck into the waistband of his jeans. He raised both eyebrows and looked down at her, but she wasn’t paying much attention. She was a tactile person, far more than he. To be fair, almost everyone was more tactile than Logan tended to be. 

“You know, Pixie, I haven’t ever felt like this. Not that I can remember, anyhow.” He told her, breaking the silence as they walked down the crowded New York sidewalks on their way back to the tower. 

“Like what?” She asked, her thumb rubbing against the soft skin of his hip. It was distracting. 

“Comfortable? Content? I’m not sure those are the right words.” He half shrugged and she looked up, trusting him to not let her walk into a light pole while she was attached to his side like some kind of limpet. 

“It’s not going to sound very nice, but I’m totally okay with that.” She admitted, a quiet laugh making her chest vibrate against him. He raised both eyebrows and looked down at her. 

“Really?” He drawled. 

“Yeah, really. It means I’m the only one doing that for you and since I can be territorial that makes me happy. You are mine.” She stopped walking and instead of dragging her forward Logan stopped as well. 

“Just so we’re clear, it’s a two way street.” He advised her as they turned to face one another. 

“That will depend entirely on how you mark your territory.” She told him, that impish grin on her wide lips again. Logan wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her against his chest to lay a kiss on her. It was meant to be gentle, but then she was wrapping an arm around his neck and a leg around his hip and it was less than gentle very quickly. Someone shouting at them to get a room made Darcy pull back a touch. 

“I really think this needs more exploration. In my room. Now.” She informed him as he lowered her to the ground. Her fingers wrapped around his and she was half towing him to the tower as he laughed in delight, wondering how the hell this had even happened. Times were going to get more interesting from here, Jane had already warned him that she'd smite him herself before letting Thor anywhere near him if Darcy somehow got her feelings hurt. Thoughts other than getting Darcy naked left his head very soon thereafter.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the life and times of Darcy and Logan from their meeting in chapter 8-11 of _Music for the Soul(Mate)_ titled Swing Life Away. 
> 
> I have now added those four chapters to the beginning of this story (the title is the same) for those who have not read it before or wanted a recap. Please enjoy!


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